Bulk fin-field effect transistors with well defined isolation

ABSTRACT

A fin field-effect-transistor fabricated by forming a dummy fin structure on a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer surrounds the dummy fin structure. The dummy fin structure is removed to form a cavity within the dielectric layer. The cavity exposes a portion of the semiconductor substrate thereby forming an exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity. A dopant is implanted into the exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity thereby creating a dopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity. A semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown within the cavity atop the dopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is continuation of and claims priority from U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/277,956 filed on Oct. 20, 2011, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,420,459, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of semiconductors,and more particularly relates to fin field effect transistors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FinFET (fin field-effect-transistor) technology has gaining interest asone of device option for future CMOS technology. However, currenttechnologies for forming the fin structures of a finFET are generallyexpensive and/or suffer from high process complexities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a computer program storage product for forming a finfield-effect-transistor is disclosed. The computer program storageproduct comprises instructions configured to perform a method. Themethod comprises forming a dielectric layer on the semiconductorsubstrate. The dielectric layer surrounds the dummy fin structure. Thedummy fin structure is removed to form a cavity within the dielectriclayer. The cavity exposes a portion of the semiconductor substratethereby forming an exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate withinthe cavity. A dopant is implanted into the exposed portion of thesemiconductor substrate within the cavity thereby creating a dopantimplanted exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate within thecavity. A semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown within the cavityatop the dopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate.

In another embodiment, a computer program storage product for forming afin field-effect-transistor is disclosed. The computer program storageproduct comprises instructions configured to perform a method. Themethod comprises forming a dielectric layer on a semiconductorsubstrate. A portion of the dielectric layer is removed. A remainingportion of the dielectric forms a dummy fin structure on thesemiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on thesemiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer surrounds the dummy finstructure. The dummy fin structure is removed to form a cavity withinthe dielectric layer. The cavity exposes a portion of the semiconductorsubstrate thereby forming an exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate within the cavity. A dopant is implanted into the exposedportion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity therebycreating a dopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate within the cavity. A semiconductor layer is epitaxially grownwithin the cavity atop the dopant implanted exposed portion of thesemiconductor substrate.

In yet another embodiment, a computer program storage product forforming a fin field-effect-transistor is disclosed. The computer programstorage product comprises instructions configured to perform a method.The method comprises forming a dummy fin structure on a semiconductorsubstrate. A portion of the dielectric layer is removed. A remainingportion of the dielectric layer forms a dummy fin structure on thesemiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on thesemiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer surrounds the dummy finstructure. The dummy fin structure is removed to form a cavity withinthe dielectric layer. The cavity exposes a portion of the semiconductorsubstrate thereby forming an exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate within the cavity. A dopant is implanted into the exposedportion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity therebycreating a dopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate within the cavity. A semiconductor layer is epitaxially grownwithin the cavity atop the dopant implanted exposed portion of thesemiconductor substrate. After epitaxially growing the semiconductorlayer, the dielectric layer is removed to form a fin structure includingat least the semiconductor layer that is atop the portion of thesemiconductor substrate that has been implanted with the dopant. A gatestructure is formed in direct contact with at least a portion of the finstructure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer toidentical or functionally similar elements throughout the separateviews, and which together with the detailed description below areincorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to furtherillustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles andadvantages all in accordance with the present invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor structure afterformation of a dummy fin on a semiconductor substrate according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure after adielectric layer has been formed over an optional hard mask, dummy fin,and the semiconductor substrate according to one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure after afin cavity has been formed in the dielectric layer and a punch-throughstopper has been implanted into an exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure after asemiconductor layer has been formed on the punch-through stopperaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure afterremoving the dielectric layer and forming a fin structure according toone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure afterforming a gate structure over the fin structure according to oneembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an operational flow diagram illustrating one example of aprocess for forming a finFET transistor utilizing a replacement gateprocess flow according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in theart to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases usedherein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide anunderstandable description of the invention.

The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one as or morethan one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two as ormore than two. Plural and singular terms are the same unless expresslystated otherwise. The term another, as used herein, is defined as atleast a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as usedherein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The termcoupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although notnecessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The termsprogram, software application, and the like as used herein, are definedas a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computersystem. A program, computer program, or software application may includea subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an objectimplementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, asource code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load libraryand/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on acomputer system.

Conventional processes for forming finFET devices are generallyexpensive or suffer from high complexity processes. For example, SOI(silicon-on-insulator) substrate processes can be expensive due to thehigh cost of the SOI substrate. Some conventional processes also cannotobtain a uniform fin thickness for both nMOS and pMOS devices. Evenfurther, some conventional processes involve doping the fin, whichreduces mobility and increases the radial-distribution function (RDF).Therefore, one or more embodiments of the present invention provide amethod for forming finFETs on bulk substrates with robust isolation. Aswill be discussed in greater detail below, a dummy fin is formed on abulk semiconductor substrate and removed through areplacement-metal-gate (RMG) type process flow. A punch-through stopper(PTS) is implanted through the cavity left after removing the dummy fin.Since the fin has not been formed at this point, there is no concernwith doping the fin. A semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown to formthe fins. For stress, Si:Ge can be grown on pMOS devices and Si:C can begrown on nMOS devices. After the epi growth, the fin can be capped witha hard mask (e.g., oxide, nitride, or a composite of oxide and nitride).A dielectric layer surrounding the fins can be removed with a wet etchor isotropic dry etch. The bulk semiconductor substrate is recessed andan oxide (or other insulating material) is deposited thereon. This oxideis then recessed below the fin. The resulting structure is a fin on bulksubstrate.

FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate cross-sectional views of a finFET transistorbeing formed utilizing a replacement gate process flow according to oneembodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 1 is across-sectional view of a semiconductor structure after formation of adummy fin on a semiconductor substrate according to one embodiment ofthe present invention. For example, FIG. 1 shows a semiconductorstructure comprising a dummy fin 102 that has been formed on a bulksemiconductor substrate 104. An optional hard mask 106 can be formedatop the dummy fin 102 as well. The bulk semiconductor substrate 104includes at least one of Si, Ge, SiGe, GaAs, InAs, InP, SiCGe, SiC aswell as other III/V or II/VI compound semiconductors and alloys thereof.In one embodiment, the initial structure shown in FIG. 1 is formed bydepositing a dielectric layer atop the bulk semiconductor substrate 104.The dielectric layer can include a dummy dielectric such as, but notlimited to crystalline or non-crystalline oxide, polysilicon, amorphoussilicon, nitride, oxynitride, a combination thereof, or any otherinsulating material.

An optional hard mask layer comprising, for example, a dielectricmaterial composed of a nitride, oxide, oxynitride material, and/or anyother suitable dielectric layer can be deposited atop the dielectriclayer. The optional hard mask layer may include a single layer ofdielectric material or multiple layers of dielectric materials. Theoptional hard mask layer can be formed by a deposition process, such aschemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or atomic layer deposition (ALD).Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a deposition process in which adeposited species is formed as a result of chemical reaction betweengaseous reactants at greater than room temperature (25° C. to 900° C.);wherein solid product of the reaction is deposited on the surface onwhich a film, coating, or layer of the solid product is to be formed.Variations of CVD processes include, but not limited to, AtmosphericPressure CVD (APCVD), Low Pressure CVD (LPCVD) and Plasma Enhanced CVD(EPCVD), Metal-Organic CVD (MOCVD) and combinations thereof may also beemployed. Alternatively, the optional hard mask layer 106 may be formedusing a growth process, such as thermal oxidation or thermalnitridation. Thereafter, the dummy fin 102 along with the optional hardmask 106 is formed from the dielectric layer (and any additional layerssuch as a polysilicon layer) and optional hard mask layer, respectively,using photolithography and etching.

FIG. 2 shows the semiconductor structure after a dielectric layer 208has been formed over the dummy fin 102, semiconductor substrate 104, andthe optional hard mask 106. For example, after the dummy fin 102 andoptional hard mask 106 have been formed a dielectric layer 208 (e.g., anitride layer) is then formed over the semiconductor substrate 104, thedummy fin structure 102, and the hard mask 106. This dielectric layer208 is etched/polished down until the hard mask 106 (or dummy finstructure 102 if a hard mask 106 is not formed).

FIG. 3 shows the semiconductor structure after a fin cavity 310 has beenformed and a punch-through stopper (PTS) 312 has been implanted into anexposed portion of the semiconductor substrate 104. For example, thedummy fin 102 and optional hard mask 106 are removed down to thesubstrate 104 via selective etching or other conventional techniques.The dummy fin removal process forms a fin cavity 310, which exposes aportion of the semiconductor substrate 104. A punch-through implantationprocess is then performed for implanting a punch-through stopper (PTS)312 into the semiconductor substrate 104, as shown by the arrows 311.The PTS 312 electrically isolates the semiconductor substrate 104 from asubsequently formed fin 518 (FIG. 5). A separate PTS implantationprocess can be performed for both nMOS and pMOS devices. For example, ap-type PTS dopant can be implanted for an nMOS device while an n-typePTS dopant can be implanted for a pMOS device.

FIG. 4 shows the semiconductor structure after a semiconductor layer 414has been formed on the PTS 312. For example, after the PTS 312 has beenformed, a semiconductor layer 414 (e.g., fin layer) is formed on the PTS312 and within the fin cavity 310. In this embodiment, the semiconductorlayer 414 is formed through an epitaxial growth process. For example,Si:Ge can be epitaxially grown from the PTS 312 within the semiconductorsubstrate 104 for a pMOS device, while Si (or Si:C) can be epitaxiallygrown from the PTS 312 within the semiconductor substrate 104 for annMOS device. Alternatively, Si can be epitaxially grown for both pMOSand nMOS devices.

In one embodiment, the epitaxially grown Si:Ge is under an intrinsiccompressive strain that is produced by a lattice mismatch between thelarger lattice dimension of the Si:Ge and the smaller lattice dimensionof the layer on which the Si:Ge is epitaxially grown. The epitaxiallygrown Si:Ge produces a compressive strain in a portion of thesemiconductor substrate 104. In another embodiment, epitaxially grownSi:C (carbon doped silicon) is under an intrinsic tensile strain that isproduced by a lattice mismatch between the smaller lattice dimension ofthe Si:C and the larger lattice dimension of the layer on which the Si:Cis epitaxially grown. The epitaxial grown Si:C produces a tensile strainin a portion of the semiconductor substrate 104.

It should be noted that a hard mask 416 can also be formed on thesemiconductor layer 414 that has been formed in the fin cavity 310. Thehard mask 416 can include a dielectric material composed of a nitride,oxide, oxynitride material, and/or any other suitable dielectric layer.The hard mask 416 may include a single layer of dielectric material ormultiple layers of dielectric materials. The hard mask 416 can be formedby a deposition process, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/oratomic layer deposition (ALD). Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is adeposition process in which a deposited species is formed as a result ofchemical reaction between gaseous reactants at greater than roomtemperature (25° C. to 900° C.); wherein solid product of the reactionis deposited on the surface on which a film, coating, or layer of thesolid product is to be formed. Variations of CVD processes include, butnot limited to, Atmospheric Pressure CVD (APCVD), Low Pressure CVD(LPCVD) and Plasma Enhanced CVD (EPCVD), Metal-Organic CVD (MOCVD) andcombinations thereof may also be employed. Alternatively, the hard mask416 may be formed using a growth process, such as thermal oxidation orthermal nitridation.

FIG. 5 shows the semiconductor structure after removing the dielectriclayer 208 and forming a fin structure 518. For example, a photoresistmask is formed overlying the hard mask 416, in which the portion of thehard mask 416 and the semiconductor layer 414 that is underlying thephotoresist mask provides the fin structure 518. The exposed portions ofthe dielectric layer 208 that is not protected by the photoresist maskis removed using a selective etch process. To provide the photoresistmask, a photoresist layer is first positioned on the dielectric 208 andhard mask 416. The photoresist layer may be provided by a blanket layerof photoresist material that is formed utilizing a deposition processsuch as, for example, CVD, PECVD, evaporation, or spin-on coating. Theblanket layer of photoresist material is then patterned to provide thephotoresist mask utilizing a lithographic process that may includeexposing the photoresist material to a pattern of radiation anddeveloping the exposed photoresist material utilizing a resistdeveloper.

Following the formation of the photoresist mask, an etching process mayremove the unprotected dielectric layer 208 selective to the underlyinghard mask 416 and semiconductor layer 414. For example, the transferringof the pattern provided by the photoresist into the underlyingstructures may include an anisotropic etch. The anisotropic etch mayinclude reactive-ion etching (RIE). Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) is a formof plasma etching in which during etching the surface to be etched isplaced on the RF powered electrode. Moreover, during RIE the surface tobe etched takes on a potential that accelerates the etching speciesextracted from plasma toward the surface, in which the chemical etchingreaction is taking place in the direction normal to the surface. Otherexamples of anisotropic etching that can be used at this point includeion beam etching, plasma etching or laser ablation. Also, a hotphosphorus etching process can be used as well. Once the dielectriclayer 208 has been removed, an anneal (such as, but not limited to, anH₂ anneal) can be performed to repair the sidewalls of the fin structure518 and to smoothen the surface thereof. A portion of the bulksemiconductor substrate 104 is recessed and a dielectric layer 519 isdeposited atop the bulk semiconductor substrate 104. This dielectriclayer 519 can be a crystalline or non-crystalline oxide, nitride,oxynitride, or any other insulating material.

FIG. 6 shows the semiconductor structure after forming a gate structureover the fin structure 518. For example, the dielectric layer 519 isrecessed forming the dielectric layer 619 shown in FIG. 6. In oneembodiment the dielectric layer 519 is recessed below the fin structure(i.e., recessed to at or below the PTS 312) exposing the PTS 312resulting in the fin structure 518 shown in FIG. 6. As can be seen, thefin structure 518 includes the semiconductor layer 414 formed atop thePTS 312 and a hard mask 416 formed atop the semiconductor layer 414.

A gate 620 (comprising a gate dielectric 621 and gate conductor 623)with an optional gate hard mask 622 is then formed over the finstructure 518 using either a replacement/dummy gate or gate-firstprocess. A gate (dielectric) spacer 624 is formed around the gate 620and optional hard mask 622. With respect to the replacement gateprocess, a replacement (dummy) gate is formed on the fin structure 518.The replacement gate is formed using oxide, polysilicon, amorphoussilicon, nitride, or a combination thereof. This replacement gate actsas a place holder for a gate stack. Once the replacement gate is formed,an optional hard mask can be formed on top of the replacement gate. Thehard mask includes a dielectric material such as a nitride, oxide,oxynitride material, and/or any other suitable dielectric layer. Theoptional hard mask can be a single layer of dielectric material ormultiple layers of dielectric materials, and can be formed by adeposition process such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or atomiclayer deposition (ALD). Alternatively, the hard mask can be grown, suchas through thermal oxidation or thermal nitridation.

The gate (dielectric) spacer 624 is then formed surrounding thereplacement gate by depositing a conformal layer of dielectric material(such as an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride) and then performing ananisotropic etch (such as a reactive ion etch). After the gate spacer624 has been formed, source and drain regions 626, 628 may be providedon opposing sides of the channel. For example, dopants may be implantedvia ion implantation into each end of the fin structure 518 to producen-type conductivity or p-type conductivity dopant regions, i.e., sourceand drain regions 626, 628. P-type conductivity dopant regions areproduced in fin structures 518 by doping a portion of the fin structure518 with group III-A elements of the periodic table of elements, such asBoron (B). N-type conductivity is produced in the fin structures 518 bydoping the fin structure 518 with group V elements, such as Phosphorus(P) or Arsenic (As).

After the source/drain regions 626, 628 have been formed, a dielectriclayer (e.g., an oxide layer) is then formed over the fin structure 518,the replacement gate, and the hard mask. This dielectric layer is etcheddown to the upper surface of the hard mask (or the replacement gate inembodiments in which a hard mask is not used). Then the replacement gateand hard mask are removed via selective etching or another conventionaltechnique, as discussed above. This forms a gate cavity that exposes aportion (an upper horizontal surface and vertical walls) of the finstructure 518.

A high-k dielectric material is blanket deposited (for example, by CVD,PECVD, or ALD) and then selectively etched using a process such as RIEto form a high-k dielectric layer 621 on the exposed portion of the finstructure 518. In one embodiment, the gate dielectric includes, but isnot limited to, an oxide, nitride, oxynitride and/or silicates includingmetal silicates, aluminates, titanates, and nitrides. In one example,when the gate dielectric includes an oxide, the oxide may be selectedfrom the group including, but not limited to: SiO₂, HfO₂, ZrO₂, Al₂O₃,TiO₂, La₂O₃, SrTiO₃, LaAlO₃, Y₂O₃, and mixture thereof.

After the high-k dielectric layer 621 has been formed, a gate conductormaterial is then deposited over the structure, lithographicallypatterned, and etched to form a gate conductor 623. The gate conductor623 fills the remaining portion of the gate cavity. The gate conductor623 of this embodiment is a metal gate layer comprising a conductiverefractory metal nitride, such as TaN, TiN, WN, TiAlN, TaCN, or an alloythereof. The conductive material may include polysilicon, SiGe, asilicide, a metal, or a metal-silicon-nitride such as Ta—Si—N. Examplesof metals that can be used as the conductive material include, but arenot limited to: Al, W, Cu, Ti, or other like conductive metals.Conventional fabrication steps are then performed to form the remainderof the integrated circuit that includes this transistor.

With respect to a gate first process, the gate 620 is formed similar tothe process discussed above after the replacement gate has been removed.For example, a gate dielectric layer 621 is formed contacting the finstructure 518. The gate dielectric layer 621 can be positioned on atleast the vertical sidewalls of the fin structure 518. The gatedielectric layer 621 can be formed by a thermal growth process or by adeposition process, as discussed above.

After forming the gate dielectric layer 621, a blanket layer of aconductive material which forms the gate conductor 623 of the gatestructure 620 is formed on the gate dielectric utilizing one or more ofthe processes discussed above. The blanket layer of conductive materialmay be doped or undoped. If doped, an in-situ doping deposition processmay be employed. Alternatively, a doped conductive material can beformed by deposition, ion implantation and annealing. After depositionof at least the gate dielectric and the conductive material, the gatestructure 620 including the gate conductor 623 and dielectric 621 isformed, where the gate dielectric 621 is positioned between the gateconductor 623 and the fin structure 518. In one embodiment, the gatestructure 620 is formed by first providing a patterned mask atop theconductive material by deposition and lithography and then transferringthe pattern to the conductive material and the gate dielectric. Theetching steps may include one or more etching processes including dryetching, such as RIE. The region of fin structure 518 in which the gateconductor crosses over is the channel region. The gate spacer 624 canthen be formed around the gate 620 (and optional mask 622) directlycontacting the gate 620 (and optional mask 622). In one embodiment, thegate spacer 624 is formed by depositing a conformal layer of dielectricmaterial, such as oxides, nitrides, or oxynitrides and performing anetching process. One example of an etching process is an anisotropicetching process, such as reactive ion etch. The source and drain regions626, 628 can then be provided on opposing sides of the channel, asdiscussed above. Conventional fabrication steps are then performed toform the remainder of the integrated circuit that includes thistransistor.

FIG. 7 is an operational flow diagram illustrating one process forforming a finFET transistor utilizing a replacement gate process flowaccording to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, theoperational flow diagram begins at step 702 and flows directly to step704. It should be noted that each of the steps shown in FIG. 7 has beendiscussed in greater detail above with respect to FIGS. 1-6. A dummy finstructure 102, at step 704, is formed on a bulk semiconductor substrate104. An optional hard mask 106, at step 706, is formed atop the dummyfin structure 102. A dielectric layer 208, at step 708, is formed overthe bulk semiconductor substrate 104, the dummy fin 102, and theoptional hard mask 106.

The dummy fin 102 and optional hard mask 106, at step 710, are removedto form a cavity 310 exposing a portion of the bulk semiconductorsubstrate 104. A PTS 312, at step 712, is implanted into the exposedportion of the bulk semiconductor substrate 104. A semiconductor layer414, at step 714, is epitaxially grown on the PTS 312 and an optionalhard mask 416 is formed atop the semiconductor layer 414. The dielectriclayer 208, at step 716, is removed. The bulk semiconductor substrate104, at step 718, is partially recessed. An oxide layer, at step 720, isdeposited on the partially recessed bulk semiconductor substrate 104 andthen recessed to at or below the PTS 312. This forms a fin structure 518comprising the PTS 312, the semiconductor layer 414, and the hard mask416. A gate stack 620, 622, gate spacer 624, and source/drain regions626, 628, at step 722, are then formed. Conventional fabricationprocesses, at step 724, are then performed to form the remainder of theintegrated circuit that includes this transistor. The control flow thenexits at step 726.

It should be noted that some features of the present invention may beused in an embodiment thereof without use of other features of thepresent invention. As such, the foregoing description should beconsidered as merely illustrative of the principles, teachings,examples, and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and not alimitation thereof.

It should be understood that these embodiments are only examples of themany advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general,statements made in the specification of the present application do notnecessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, somestatements may apply to some inventive features but not to others.

The circuit as described above is part of the design for an integratedcircuit chip. The chip design is created in a graphical computerprogramming language, and stored in a computer storage medium (such as adisk, tape, physical hard drive, or virtual hard drive such as in astorage access network). If the designer does not fabricate chips or thephotolithographic masks used to fabricate chips, the designer transmitsthe resulting design by physical means (e.g., by providing a copy of thestorage medium storing the design) or electronically (e.g., through theInternet) to such entities, directly or indirectly. The stored design isthen converted into the appropriate format (e.g., GDSII) for thefabrication of photolithographic masks, which typically include multiplecopies of the chip design in question that are to be formed on a wafer.The photolithographic masks are utilized to define areas of the wafer(and/or the layers thereon) to be etched or otherwise processed.

The methods as discussed above are used in the fabrication of integratedcircuit chips.

The resulting integrated circuit chips can be distributed by thefabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that hasmultiple unpackaged chips), as a bare chip, or in a packaged form. Inthe latter case, the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as aplastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or otherhigher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramiccarrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buriedinterconnections). In any case, the chip is then integrated with otherchips, discrete circuit elements, and/or other signal processing devicesas part of either (a) an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or(b) an end product. The end product can be any product that includesintegrated circuit chips, ranging from toys and other low-endapplications to advanced computer products having a display, a keyboard,or other input device, and a central processor.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed,those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes canbe made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to berestricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments, and it is intendedthat the appended claims cover any and all such applications,modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for forming a finfield-effect-transistor, the method comprising: with a cavity formed ina dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, and wherein the cavityexposing a portion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity,implanting a dopant into the exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate within the cavity; and epitaxially growing a semiconductorlayer within the cavity atop the dopant implanted exposed portion of thesemiconductor substrate, where a height of the cavity defines a heightof the epitaxially grown semiconductor.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein after epitaxially growing the semiconductor layer, the methodfurther comprising: removing the dielectric layer to form a finstructure comprising the semiconductor layer, the fin structure atop thedopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, further comprising: forming a gate structure indirect contact with at least a portion of the fin structure.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, further comprising: forming a gate spacer adjacent tothe gate structure.
 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:recessing the semiconductor substrate; and thereafter depositing asecond dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising: recessing the second dielectric layer to ator below the portion of the semiconductor substrate implanted with thedopant.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dopant is a punch-throughstopper dopant.
 8. A method for forming a fin field-effect-transistor,the method comprising: with a dummy fin structure formed of dielectricmaterial on a semiconductor substrate, forming a second dielectric layeron the semiconductor substrate, the second dielectric layer surroundingthe dummy fin structure; removing the dummy fin structure so that acavity is formed within the second dielectric layer, wherein the cavityexposes a portion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity;implanting a dopant into the exposed portion of the semiconductorsubstrate within the cavity; and epitaxially growing a semiconductorlayer within the cavity atop the dopant implanted exposed portion of thesemiconductor substrate.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein afterepitaxially growing the semiconductor layer, the method furthercomprising: removing the second dielectric layer to form a fin structurecomprising the semiconductor layer, the fin structure atop the dopantimplanted exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate.
 10. The methodof claim 9, further comprising: forming a gate structure in directcontact with at least a portion of the fin structure.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising: forming a gate spacer adjacent to the gatestructure.
 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: recessing thesemiconductor substrate; and thereafter depositing a third dielectriclayer on the semiconductor substrate.
 13. The method of claim 12,further comprising: recessing the third dielectric layer to at or belowthe portion of the semiconductor substrate implanted with the dopant.14. The method of claim 9, wherein the dopant is a punch-through stopperdopant.
 15. A method for forming a fin field-effect-transistor, themethod comprising: with a dummy fin structure formed of dielectricmaterial on a semiconductor substrate, forming a second dielectric layeron the semiconductor substrate, the second dielectric layer surroundingthe dummy fin structure; removing the dummy fin structure so that acavity is formed within the second dielectric layer, wherein the cavityexposes a portion of the semiconductor; implanting a dopant into theexposed portion of the semiconductor substrate within the cavity;epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer within the cavity atop thedopant implanted exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate; afterepitaxially growing the semiconductor layer, removing the seconddielectric layer to form a fin structure comprising the semiconductorlayer, the fin structure atop the dopant implanted exposed portion ofthe semiconductor substrate; and forming a gate structure in directcontact with at least a portion of the fin structure.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising: recessing the semiconductor substrate; andthereafter depositing a third dielectric layer on the semiconductorsubstrate.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: recessing thethird dielectric layer to at or below the portion of the semiconductorsubstrate implanted with the dopant.
 18. The method of claim 15, whereinthe dopant is a punch-through stopper dopant.
 19. The method of claim15, wherein forming the gate structure comprises: forming a dummy gateon the fin structure; forming a gate spacer around the dummy gate and onthe semiconductor substrate; forming a third dielectric layer on thesemiconductor substrate and the gate spacer; removing the dummy gate toexpose a portion of the fin structure forming a fourth dielectric layeron the portion of the fin structure and sidewalls of the gate spacer;and forming a conductive layer on the fourth dielectric layer andsidewalls of the gate spacer.
 20. The method of claim 15, whereinforming the gate structure comprises: forming a third dielectric layeron a portion of the fin structure; forming a conductive layer on thethird dielectric layer; and forming a gate spacer on the semiconductorsubstrate, the gate spacer surrounding the third dielectric layer andthe conductive layer.